Imagine a place where you can experience the immediate effect of all possible feel-good hormones. The Boskop Yacht & Aquatic Club epitomises this. It is a place of outstanding natural beauty, but moreover, it is a club where generations of families have congregated to enjoy a much-loved shared activity.
The Boskop Yacht & Aquatic Club, formerly known as the Boskop Yacht Club, was founded in 1959 when the building of the Boskop Dam neared completion. (See my article: https://lenniegouws.co.za/water-for-potchefstroom/ )
The clubhouse of the Boskop Yacht & Aquatic Club with its relaxing atmosphere. The Club celebrates 66 years of the joy of sailing in 2025. *
This is what it’s all about! Sailing a Sprog in less than tranquil waters. This photo was taken in the earlier days at Boskop.
The word “Boskop” means “bushy hill”. When the railway line between Potchefstroom and Krugersdorp was built in the late 1890s, the nearby station was named the Boskop station. A map of 1906 indicates a few buildings near the station, also named “Boskop”. Apart from Frederikstad, north of Boskop, Welverdiend, Oberholzer and Middelvlei, were the other stations on the route of the railway line between Krugersdorp and Potchefstroom.
This 1907 map shows the small settlement called Boskop, near the Boskop station. Note the “good hard road” to the left of the picture. This was where the road to Rysmierbult was before it was rerouted with the building of the Boskop Dam. The map was drawn in 1902 by the Royal Engineers and published in 1907.
Yachting began with the Dutch
Before the 16th century sailing boats were solely employed for the purposes of transport or commerce. Nowadays they are almost exclusively designed for sport and pleasure. This is according to The Encyclopedia of Yachting by Peter Johnston.
He wrote that the words “yacht” and “yachting” come from the Dutch word jaghen, which means to hunt, chase or pursue. Yachting originated in the Netherlands during the 16th and 17th centuries. At the time this country was the world’s major maritime power and experienced what was called “a golden age”. Johnston wrote:
This flourishing economy supported a large number of people intimately connected with the sea who could afford to commission and buy boats to use for convenience and occasional leisure.
It was, however, the English king, Charles II, who drove this mode of transport into the world of sport. After being exiled and living in the Netherlands for a while, the first stage of his return to England in May 1660 was from Breda to Delft in a yacht that was built for him by the Prince of Orange. He remarked that he might order one for himself to use on the Thames, after he arrived in England. Later he was presented with a yacht built in Rotterdam. She was called Mary and was 15,8 m long and 5,8 wide with a draught of 3 m.
Two more yachts were built in England and this gave birth to the first recorded yacht race in which these three yachts took part.
First years of Boskop
The Boskop Dam overflowed for the first time in December 1959, presenting a large body of water for sailing. The first Commodore of the Boskop Yacht Club was RN Lambert who held this position for four years until 1963. He was assisted by IH Mitchell as Vice Commodore (1959-1962). The first Rear Commodore was DHA Tidswell.
The Commodore is the highest-ranking officer and essentially the head of a yacht club, overseeing all club activities and representing the club at official events. He is responsible for the club’s general management, ensuring its financial health, and fostering a positive community environment.
The Rear Commodore is the second-in-command, often responsible for managing the club’s land-based activities, or the sailing aspects of the club, depending on the club’s structure. He assists the Commodore in his duties, act in his absence, and may chair specific committees or represent the club at events.
A Vice Commodore at a yacht club is the third-ranking officer, typically responsible for water-based activities, including boating, racing, and training. He also assists the Commodore and Vice-Commodore, and may be responsible for specific.
The current Commodore is Frans van der Walt, who is a second generation Boskopper. Frans and his wife, Heidie, graciously supplied the information about Boskop during a lengthy interview.
Frans’s father Hannes joined about 1971/2, invited by Cor Bakker who was a member at the time, and they were joined by Cecil Smith, a colleague of Hannes who both worked as instrument makers at the university. (See my article on Hannes, who is better known as the artist J Petro van der Walt: https://lenniegouws.co.za/j-petro-van-der-walt-oorlede/ . True to his ability to create things, Hannes built a yacht (a Fireball), which he incidentally self never sailed. In fact, the three of them all built themselves the same type of yacht from plans they acquired.
Hannes went on to, with his brother, build five Bullets (a slightly smaller yacht than the Fireball that served as training yacht for the Fireball). “Sailing was our sport,” said Frans “We did not participate in any other.”
In 1977 Frans’s wife, Heidie’s family joined the Club. The Mantz family hails from Carletonville and they soon became enthusiastic Boskoppers, visiting the Club every weekend and sailing as often as possible.
Sometime later the relationship between Frans and Heidie blossomed and they were married in December 1986.
Heidie and Frans in conversation with his father, Hannes, at Boskop during the 1980s. To the right are Heidie’s sisters, Paula and Louise. She studied at the Potchefstroom Teachers Training College. Their relationship became serious when Frans was tasked to take her from Boskop to the College on Sundays.
Clubhouse was built by members
The first clubhouse was a corrugated iron structure. During the winter months of 1976-77 the members themselves built the new clubhouse, without making use of any contractors.
Frans’s father Hannes’s hand is still visible in the design of the clubhouse. At his own house he installed little human figures, made with bricks. (Including the ones used for embellishment at the entrance to the property, in walls and the ones he carved around edge of the dining room table and at the top of the chairs, he counted more than 2 000 of these figurines on his property!) These same little figurines found their way to the Boskop clubhouse.
The building of the clubhouse took place in 1976-77, done by the members themselves.
The new clubhouse was literally built over the old one and then the older one was raised. This photo was taken when part of the structure of the old clubhouse was demolished.
This earlier photo of the clubhouse still shows the Bridge as the two-storey structure to the left of the building was known. The Bridge was used to start races. A pole stood right in front of the Bridge. A buoy was placed in the dam and the line between the two was the starting line for all races. In the early days a canon was fired to signify the start, which is the traditional way to do so. The race officer stood on the bridge and kept watch to see that no boats cross this line before the start of the race. The Bridge later became dilapidated and was demolished. This method of starting races is no longer used at Boskop. Nowadays they are started from a motor boat on the water and by way of blowing a horn.
The distinctive boat-shaped bar of the clubhouse has been a feature since the early years. The bar is known as Peppi’s, named after Peppi Luff, an enthusiastic Boskopper, who served as barman for many years.
Having a jolly good time at Peppi’s are Kobus Holtzhausen and his wife, Elsie, Nico van der Walt and Derek Robinson and his wife, Sharyn. Sharyn is currently the longest serving member of the Club, after joining in 1964.
Memorable members
The Robinson family made a huge impact at Boskop. Derek served as Commodore in 1984/85 and 1988/89. His brother, Mike, also served as Commodore in 1985/86, 1997-1999 and 2008-2011 and is now President of SA Sailing. Both are still members at Boskop.
Mike’s daughter, Michaela Robinson, made it big in the yachting world. She became a world champion at the tender age of 14. Amongst others she and her brother, Ryan, won the Mirror class World Yachting Championships at the Lough Derg Yacht Club in Ireland in 2013. By 2020 she was a double world champion.
The family often participated in the Cape to Rio Race. In 2011 Mike and Gillian Robinson took on the Cape to Rio with five children of which the youngest was 10 years old. They finished within the first five!
In December 2025 Michael Robinson will again do the Cape to Rio Race as skipper on his yacht.
This vintage photo from the early Boskop years shows Derek Robinson and friend on a Fireball.
After the dam overflowed shortly after it was built, the early 1960s became a time of severe drought. Sharyn Robinson, néé Shaw, Anthony van Eeden and an unknown man are standing on dry land quite far away from the clubhouse.
Seasons at Boskop
Boskop is known for its fierce winds. “We call it the Boskop storms,” says Frans. It comes with a quick squall of five to ten minutes and is then gone. Sometimes it blows a whole day. To decide when it is safe to sail, can be a contentious issue. The decision lies with the safety officer who adheres strictly to club rules. When the wind speed reaches 25 knots (about 46 km/h), no boat will set sail. This, on the other hand, excites the windsurfers, who love a fierce wind.
During a storm in September 2004, this keel-boat was pushed against the shore after its anchor broke. Note the person climbing up the mast. In order to get the keel off the bottom of the dam, the boat needed to be tilted more to lift the keel and then pulled away.
Apart from many droughts, Boskop also saw the opposite at times. This photo shows the caravans at Boskop standing in a sea of water. Frans remembers one flood when the water came very close to the swimming pool! The Club has 44 caravan stands that can be rented by members on a yearly basis. The same applies to the 14 rondavels.
Tranquil waters does not make good sailing but remains a thing of beauty. This photo was posted on Facebook on 2 September 2022.
Choppy water implies a strong wind, which did not spell any good for the veldfire across the Boskop Dam. The photo was taken September 2006.
Traditions
At the end of the racing season everybody who took part in races would receive flags. First place winners received a red flag, second place a blue flag and third place gets a green flag. At the beginning of the new season, about the end of August, beginning of September, yachts proudly displayed these flags for the Commodore. All boats would sail pass the Commodore while saluting him.
In the early days Christmas was celebrated at Boskop in a suitable manner. A club member was dressed as Christmas Father. He was collected by boat at the top end of the Dam and then brought with huge fanfare to the Club. Gifts were then distributed to the kids. The preparation to make this all happen took a lot of effort.
Events @ Boskop
Over many years Boskop maintained an enthusiastic sailing culture.
The Club soon flourished after its founding. Frans and Heidie remembers that during the 1980’s the Club took part in many events countrywide.
Frans bought a new boat in 1983 and took it all over the country. The Boskop team then usually existed of three boats. Crew also included the Robinson brothers, Heidie’s brother Hans and Douglas Smith.
They took part in many provincial and national championships. At one time Heidie won a trophy for being the only lady who participated.
A Laser gliding through the water at Boskop during the 1980s.
At the time Derek Robinson and Niko van der Walt participated in the World Championships. The team came fourth. Hans Mantz and Pat Mitchell went to Belgium for the Championships.
During the 1970s inter-club championships between Boskop, the Spurwing Club from Westonaria and the Klerksdorp Yacht Club took place quite often, each club hosting it on a rotational basis. The Spurwing Club does not exist anymore and the Klerksdorp Club came to an abrupt end when the private owner who leased the club premises to them cancelled the lease agreement.
In 1982 the National Championships for juniors were hosted by Boskop. More than 100 families attended. The Club had to rent a neighbouring piece of land to accommodate everybody.
Each year Boskop hosts an open Regatta. This popular event draws crowds of up to 60. Club members provide food and visitors enjoy a fun-filled day.
Boskop is all about families
Since its foundation the Boskop Yacht & Aquatic Club was all about families.
Not only are Frans and Heidie second generation Boskoppers, they brought their own children there from an early age. Nowadays their grandchildren are avid sailors.
Most members concur that they do not want their children to grow up addicted to technology. At Boskop they do not only learn the skill of sailing, but develop a love for the water and their boat. “Sailing is about you and your boat against nature,” says Frans. “I always say to the kids: the wind is your boss and you have to find yourself within it. Just like life, it throws you where it wants to.”
Kids learn to compete against themselves. “There is nobody to blame but yourself, if something goes wrong. You learn perseverance, to plan, patience and about human relationships,” says Frans.
Sail training for youngsters still takes place on a regular basis.
Louis van der Walt, Frans and Heidie’s son, teaches kids about sailing in the swimming pool at Boskop. He is a third generation Boskopper.
The peace of Boskop
Boskop is not only about jumping on a boat, adjusting your sail to wind and set off. All members and everybody that ever visits Boskop immediately, upon arriving, experience its inherent peace. Heidie says if you have once awoken there, you’ll always want to come back.
One of its members is the owner of a guest house in Potchefstroom. He yearly hosts overseas athletes and taking them to Boskop for a braai had become one of their favourite leisure activities.
The Boskop Yacht Club celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009. At the time the photos published here, and many more, were donated by members. In 2024 the name was changed to the Boskop Yacht & Aquatic Club in order to open its doors to other water sports, such as stand-up paddling, canoeing and swimming.
Going to great lengths to make sure that the next generation is introduced into the lore and thrill of sailing, sail training for juniors are regularly held.
Boskop is alive and well and sprinting off to the distant shore.
Contact the Boskop Yacht & Aquatic Club at boskop.y.club@gmail.com for more information.
* Unless stated otherwise, all photos were supplied by the Boskop Yacht and Aquatic Club.
